Rep. Hartzler Signed Up for Obamacare Plan That Does Not Cover Abortion

(CNSNews.com) — At a panel discussion with conservatives members of Congress on Wednesday, Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) said she had signed up for a health insurance plan on the D.C. Small Business Exchange and that the plan does not cover elective abortion.

"Yes, I did sign up for the D.C. exchange on Saturday, and I specifically looked for plans that do not include abortion,” Hartzler said.

A spokesperson for Hartzler’s office confirmed to CNSNews.com that the congresswoman did buy a plan on the D.C. exchange that does not cover elective abortions.

CNSNews.com asked the panelists at the Heritage Foundation’s Conversations with Conservatives if they had signed up for a health care plan on the D.C. small business exchange, and if not, why not?

CNSNews.com followed up by stating that 103 of the 112 plans on the D.C. small business exchange covered elective abortion and asked if they had or would buy a plan from that exchange that covered elective abortion.

Hartzler was the first to respond, saying, "Yes, I did sign up for the D.C. exchange on Saturday, and I specifically looked for plans that do not include abortion.”

The Obama administration, through its Office of Personnel Management, issued regulation allowing the U.S. Congress (consisting of 11,000 staffers and an operations budget of $4.3 billion in fiscal year 2013) to be considered a small business, thus allowing members and their staffs to shop on the exchange.